I Just Need A Bloody Battleship!
by Demirari
Summary: A Rear Admiral, an armada of destroyers and light cruisers, and a poor Inazuma. That is what makes up a certain naval base and it shall forever be like that as decreed by RNG-sama. However, sometimes, ambition and stubbornness pays off and you get things that normally won't be there. That is what a certain virgin is about to find out. God help him.
1. Chapter 1

The winds were calm, there's barely even a single breeze, as the sun slowly crept up towards afternoon. It's humid and hot, fitting for a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean. Small creatures and birds hid themselves amongst the thick tropical forests, enjoying the cool shades. The beaches, normally crowded, were quiet today. It was a Sunday during the summer.

The island port, stationed towards the north side, was also silent. Disturbed only by the sounds of birds singing, its denizens contend themselves in enjoying the luxuries of air-conditioning within the vast buildings-especially the main recreation complex. The recreation building, tall and grand centered on modern glass and steel architectural design, is especially lively. Fleet girls relaxed themselves, enjoying fine drinks and playing games that avoided any extreme physical exertion. Ninety-five degrees is certainly not the kind of temperature to be running around.

Many fleet girls turned their attention to other forms of entertainment that would not require extreme physical exertion. 21st century technology offers many alternatives to outdoor play, mainly video games-something that many enjoy within this naval base. They could pop open their favorite soft drink brand while exerting minimal physical energy. It was perfect for them-especially for the young destroyers.

Not everyone, however, was enjoying their time. There were two people that stationed themselves away from the fun. Lounging on a bench not far from the greeting sector of the massive construction complex, the two did their own thing as they waited for a fleet girl. The left was the Rear Admiral, a tall, slender man with black hair, occupying himself by watching the calm blue sea. The right was a young girl, Inazuma, in her sailor uniform with her unique hairstyle scribbling away in her notepad, looking at her tablet now and then.

The secretary ship, Inazuma, was scribbling random notes that bear no meaning unless they were well-versed in "destroyer" language. At every ten seconds, she would sip her cool drink before refilling the spaces left by her extermination. She appeared to be focused on her work, but it was all a front as she took quick glances at the Rear Admiral and her tablet before smiling. Ten minutes left.

"Ano~ Rear Admiral? The ship will be done in ten minutes nanodesu, should we go to the greeting room?" Inazuma asked as she placed her pencil into her notebook before closing it.

The Rear Admiral didn't respond, his eyes narrowing slightly at the thought of going to the greeting room. His lips opened slightly before clamping down. He looked towards the building that housed the greeting room, his left leg beginning to tap rhythmically on the concrete floor.

"Wouldn't that bring bad luck Inazuma?" the Rear Admiral replied as he suddenly stretched himself, "wouldn't it be better to wait another five minutes? Lady Luck looks favorably upon those that are patient."

"Huh? It shouldn't sir! I-I mean, the ship's been decided already, it shouldn't matter if we go," Inazuma responded as she cocked her head to the right. It wouldn't matter now; the ship had already been decided.

The Rear Admiral shook his head, "It would matter! If we go in right now, Lady Luck would see us badly. We must show patience otherwise… we could end up with a carrier." He whispered the last part in dread, implying getting a carrier would be a nightmare.

"Wouldn't a carrier be better?" asked Inazuma, "we'll be able to achieve air superiority over the Abyssal and bomb their ships."

"That's too narrow-minded Inazuma; you must also consider other factors. Imagine the logistics of running a carrier like Akagi," the Rear Admiral replied, pointing out the flaw of having an aircraft carrier. "I don't believe we have the resources capable of maintaining her appetite."

"Sir, we're making nearly a thousand of each resource per day in profit, plus we aren't using the bauxite supply that often," Inazuma countered as she hopped onto her feet. Holding both her tablet and notebook close to her, she stood next to the Rear Admiral, waiting for him to get up.

"Hmmm…," the Rear Admiral nodded his head, "that is true, but still, there is another factor that is far more decisive in my decision in why I prefer having a battleship, especially Kongou than a carrier."

Raising her right eyebrow, Inazuma wondered to herself what the reason was exactly. Her young mind drew blanks, and that was when she decided to ask exactly why. "What's the reason Rear Admiral?" She asked adorably.

The Rear Admiral was about to reply, but he stopped himself. He needs to explain his thoughts carefully to the adorable destroyer. He can't just go and say that he's a lonely person that needs the touch of a woman in a very R-rated way. Nor can he explain it in such a fashion that'll make the naive destroyer think he needs comfort for a while. The other admirals already, falsely, believe he was a lolicon; he did not need the young destroyers snuggling with him due to misinterpretation and confirm their misguided belief.

Clearing his throat, the Rear Admiral slipped into his instructor mode. Adopting his signature famous poker face, he got up from the bench and began pacing around on the concrete floor. Adjusting his hat, he spoke like a wise elderly sage, "Inazuma, you see, a man is a lonely creature. As such," he raised his index finger," we, men, require the warmth that only a woman of proper age could give. With that kind of criteria, a battleship would be far better. They are strong-willed and of the proper age that many men desire, unlike the carriers where they are younger and would, naturally, lack the expertise of a battleship."

Try to imagine Kaga trying to be comforting, can you see it? The Rear Admiral cannot and no one else could probably.

"Ah! Does that mean Rear Admiral is a loser, nanodesu?" Inazuma questioned, cocking her head to the right.

The composition of the Rear Admiral cracked slightly, his face turned away from Inazuma. Clenching his left hand, he steeled himself against the pain he felt in his chest. It was true; he is a "loser." Even his adorable destroyer knew of that. How shameful of him to be a twenty-five year old virgin. Never having a girlfriend, never kissed before, can't converse with the opposite gender-the list just goes on and on. Oh, how he can cry right now of his failures.

Closing his eyes, the Rear Admiral responded, pain in his voice, "Yes, yes Inazuma, your commander is a loser. It's alright though; I still have five years to go."

Feeling the newly created negative emotions flowing from her commander, Inazuma knew she had to quickly change the subject before the Rear Admiral collapses mentally. Her mind on overdrive, Inazuma looked around, hoping to find something she could use as a subject starter. There were only empty blanks where she thought there was light.

Inazuma was panicking now as she watched dark tendrils extend from her commander. There were literally dark tendrils extending outworks, defying reality. The darkness, it now slowly began to corrupt the sunny atmosphere. An idea sprouted into her head, she could try talking about the weather, but that would work as well as convincing someone that cancer is a good thing. There was nothing she could think of. Nearly giving up, Inazuma checked her "Secretary Tablet" to find some sort of inspiration and there it was. A minute before the new ship would be done constructing. That would do, she thought to herself, it was perfect, no, it was brilliant!

"Eh… ummmm," Inazuma was unsure of how to break the silence, but she trudged onwards, like the little train that could. "So… ano~ sir… the ship's done and, um, maybe we should go… and greet her?"

"Ah, right! The new ship, we can't forget about her!" The Rear Admiral chuckled awkwardly, his right hand scratching the back of his neck as he checked his watch on his left arm. "Wow! Time just flew right past us. Alright, let's go!" The Rear Admiral started walking towards the building rather fast, trying to get away from the awkwardness.

Opening the door, the Rear Admiral entered the building and right into the greeting room and felt refreshed as the thick awkward atmosphere dissipated. Taking in the cool air as it breezed past him, he observed the room. The room was simple, there were four comfy looking sofas of a good quality, a drinking fountain perched a good few feet from the ground, and four fans blasting cool air as they slowly changed direction. It was a modest room if it wasn't for the left part of the room.

The greeting room's main purpose was to serve as an area where a newly constructed ship could converse with the commanding officer and his or her secretary. The room also served as a warm and simple welcome for the newly constructed ship. A commanding officer would enter the room and wait before choosing one of the four great metallic doors. It was a simple procedure to allow the new fleet girl to enter into their new world. If you chose dock one as the construction site the girl would be waiting for the officer to open door one, denoted by a giant white one, the other doors worked similarly.

Motioning for Inazuma to quickly follow him, he walked towards the door that was greenlit by an LED light. Dock 3 was the one he chose for the construction of what hopefully will be his new battleship. Tons upon tons of resources were poured into this project; it was the most massive undertaking the Rear Admiral participated in so far as the commander of this naval base. Taking in deep breaths, the Rear Admiral pressed the tip of his index finger on the "UNLOCK" button, feeling the cool surface. He was hesitant as he continued to apply pressure before feeling the button engage the unlocking process.

The doors began to open slowly as the gears began to split the door in half and drag the pieces into the darkness. Light slowly filtered through, illuminating the dark hallway. Silence reigned as the doors finished opening. There's absolutely nothing, not even when the hallway light's also turned on.

"Huh? Where's the ship girl nanodesu?" Inazuma wondered as she poked her head out from behind the Rear Admiral. Walking in front of the Rear Admiral, Inazuma peered in, "Rear Admiral, is this the right door?"

"It should be," the Rear Admiral replied with faltering confidence, "I told the fairies that I wanted the ship to be constructed at Dock 3. The fleet girl should be here, she should be…"

Inazuma checked her tablet, scrolling through the data. Reading each line carefully, Inazuma nodded, "you're right sir! Maybe she's just late."

"Right, you're right! She's late, yeah, she's late," the Rear Admiral replied, repeating to himself, "We'll just wait, she's just late, that's all."

Five minutes passed and the Rear Admiral was becoming more agitated. This was a very unusual case; most fleet girls usually arrive either three seconds late or they're already here. There had never been a five minute delay before in his career. Why isn't she here, the Rear Admiral thought to himself as he began tapping his left foot—a habitual trait of his when he is either agitated or nervous.

"Ano~ sir?" Inazuma spoke up suddenly, catching the attention of the Rear Admiral, "I hear footsteps. I think she's coming."

"That's good," the Rear Admiral replied feeling excited. Any minute now the fleet girl will come into view and he will have his battleship. Hearing the footsteps foretold by Inazuma now, the Rear Admiral watched the empty hallway intently, waiting.

The Rear Admiral's wait did not last long as a young woman walked into view as she turned a corner, her hands busy adjusting a blue beret. Her hands, adorning white gloves, moving in haste, correcting minute details that a naked eye could barely even tell. It was akin to a person prepping for a formal ball or party of some sorts. Rather entrancing.

"Bonjour commandant!" The young woman saluted as she stopped five feet away from the Rear Admiral. "My apologies for being late, but there were complications that delayed my arrival, I hope that you can forgive such rudeness." She smiled as her blue eyes cast down embarrassed.

"Ah, no-n, it's uhmmmm… ahhhh, so uhhhhhhhh…" stuttering and unable to form a coherent sentence, the Rear Admiral quickly nudged Inazuma to cover for him as he looked away from the woman.

"The Rear Admiral says it's not a problem and that complications that cause lateness do happen," Inazuma cut in for the Rear Admiral, saving him as he grew more nervous and embarrassed. She had forgotten about the fact the Rear Admiral couldn't converse with the opposite gender for more than thirty minutes of awkwardness.

The woman looked at the two oddly before smiling. "Merci commandant," the young woman replied as she brushed some stray blond hair away from her eyes, "I am Richelieu, lead ship of the Richelieu-battleships, I do hope to serve you well commandant in the upcoming months!"

Ruffling his own hair, the Rear Admiral nudged Inazuma, mumbling some incoherent words that only Inazuma could interpret. Doing odd signals via hands and nods and grunts, the Rear Admiral managed to send his message to Inazuma, whom filled in once more, "the Rear Admiral says he's delighted to have a battleship serving him."

"Uhhh.. yeah, n-nice to... meet… you," the Rear Admiral added in awkwardly.

"That's excellent to hear, and may I ask who you are?" Richelieu asked politely, addressing towards Inazuma.

"Hello, I'm Inazuma, secretary of the Rear Admiral and currently his translator," Inazuma replied, introducing herself, bowing. "And excuse me, but your name isn't Japanese nanodesu," Inazuma stated the obvious as she stared at Richelieu. She was certain that the name was not of Japanese origin. The pronunciation was far too different. Plus, the woman didn't even look the slightest bit Japanese.

"It is not, nor am I Japanese in any form," Richelieu confirmed, "I am Richelieu of the French navy. I do hope that is not of an issue."

Taking a quick glance at Richelieu, the Rear Admiral whispered to himself softly, repeating the word French. Slowly the fact dawned on him as he began to do random hand signals and whispering into Inazuma's ear.

"Uhhh, ummmm, the Rear Admiral…," Inazuma stopped herself, listening to the Rear Admiral as he rectified his message, before continuing, "w-wait, did you just say you're a French ship?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** The Rear Admiral's name is left blank intentionally and his name will probably not be disclosed in any shape or fashion. The reason for this isn't really major, it is just I feel like it should be left blank. I hope that is not an issue.

A brief history of Richelieu: FS Richelieu is a French battleship that was laid down prior to WW2 and was finished during WW2. It served France well until it was decommissioned in 1967. She and her sister, Jean Bart, were France's largest and last battleships known for speeds that are slighter faster than her European counterparts, capable of going 32 knots. The Richelieu's class were only beat in speed by the United State's fast battleships.

I picked Richelieu to be the "star" battleship of this short story for no reason except that I felt that French ships don't get enough light and I felt that using one of the Kongou sisters wasn't exactly original.

That is all, and I hope you liked reading this chapter as there will be more to come. Please leave constructive criticisms and reviews, though you don't have to.

Have a good day!


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I have a French battleship under my command," the Rear Admiral whispered to himself, glancing at Richelieu before quickly looking somewhere else. It had been ten minutes after the revelation and the shock of getting a French battleship was still fresh. Impossible was it for him to calm himself down, not even if Richelieu is on the other side of the room-there being more than one-hundred feet in distance.

The Rear Admiral was certainly most ecstatic to finally have a battleship or a fleet girl that didn't look underaged, but there was one single issue. There was simply no way he could focus with the issue lingering about. He was socially awkward around any women over the age of eighteen and he was even worse around any women that looked extremely attractive.

While the Rear Admiral focused on his social flaw, Inazuma was busy trying to distract herself from the heavy atmosphere. It was awkward and tense, very unsettling to Inazuma. She had to break the silence; the atmosphere needed to be thinned or else she could possibly choke on it and end up six feet under.

Nudging the Rear Admiral slightly, Inazuma whispered, "Ano~ Rear Admiral? Shouldn't we be giving Richelieu a tour?"

The Rear Admiral nodded his head slowly as he stared at the ground. It was customary to showcase a naval base when a new fleet girl arrives, but there's no way he's going to be able to lead her around. It'll hurt him to do this, but he'll have to pass the responsibility to his secretary. For the good of his mental health.

"Secretary Inazuma, we should be giving her a tour, but alas, I remembered just now that I need to fill out some documents that the HQ sent for me," the Rear Admiral adjusted his tie, "good luck." With that, the Rear Admiral bolted out of there not-so-subtly.

"What do you mean… desu," Inazuma trailed off as she observed the Rear Admiral disappear into the distance. Taking a deep breath, Inazuma felt the headache already forming. Why did she not see this coming?

"The commandant, it appears that he had left in a hurry," Richelieu began as she stared at the door the Rear Admiral used, "did I make the commandant uncomfortably?"

"A-ah! Nononono!" Inazuma responded as she waved her hands negatively, "ano~ the Rear Admiral just remembered that he had to do something important nanodesu!"

"I see, that is understandable. I wish the Rear Admiral luck in resolving his urgent issue," Richelieu replied, her face portraying concern.

"R-right! I hope that, too, he will finish his work!" Inazuma uncomfortably replied as she got up and waited near the door, "the Rear Admiral, before he had to leave quickly, explained to me to give you the customary tour."

"A tour? Excellent, please lead the way then. I am rather excited about this base," Richelieu replied as she got up from the chair.

* * *

It had been ten minutes since the Rear Admiral's escape and Inazuma had already forgotten about him ditching her in a precarious situation. It was a natural ability of hers to, over time, temporarily ignore any awkwardness gifted by her commander.

"This is the dormitory where you'll be living in. Every fleet girl in this naval base call this large building their home," Inazuma opened the door leading to the inside of the dormitory. Feeling the cool air rush past her, she entered the building. "There are over two-hundred rooms, thus enabling every fleet girl to live in their very own room. Most naval bases do not have such a luxury nanodesu."

Richelieu nodded her head, listening attentively to Inazuma. It was impossible for her not to listen to the young girl as she gave a small lecture of the dormitory. If Richelieu were to describe the actions of Inazuma, she would compare it to a teacher giving a lesson.

Entering the dormitory, Richelieu examined the rather large vestibule before walking up the small steps and onto the wooden flooring. It was rather large, the living quarters from outside and the inside did not disappoint. From what Richelieu could see and infer upon, there seems to be a complex network of hallways leading into all sorts of directions. There were twelve floors in total, and if Richelieu's fears are correct, the living quarters could possibly qualify as a maze.

"This seems… rather labyrinthine for a barrack and pardon me, but did you say this was a dormitory?" Richelieu asked as she examined the dormitory's indoor map posted on a wall nearby. "Shouldn't it be a barrack?"

"Nope, it's a dormitory nanodesu," Inazuma replied as she motioned for Richelieu to follow, "we voted that the dormitory will be called a dormitory."

Following along, Richelieu noted the rather vibrant walls with all sorts of colors as she responded, "A democratic system? That is rather interesting, the Rear Admiral must be a lax commandant then."

"The Rear Admiral is very nice and lets us do stuff we normally aren't allowed to do elsewhere," Inazuma confirmed as she stopped suddenly, looking around. "Ano~ where's the staircase? I thought it were located in this hallway."

"Perhaps it's around the corner of this hallway?" Richelieu suggested, pointing ahead of them.

Nodding her head, Inazuma followed her suggestion and checked the corner What she saw astounded her, the corner lead to three different hallways going in three different directions. Perplexed now, Inazuma examined each hallway before becoming even more confused.

"Are we lost?" Richelieu asked as she examined the three new hallways leading to who knows where. The walls of each hallway were painted with less vibrant colors and more down to earth, with brown and white being the dominant colors. The hallways they took previously had a more childish color scheme.

"Hawa? N-no nanodesu!" Inazuma replied, blushing in embarrassment, "the stairs should be somewhere nearby…" Trailing off, Inazuma's shoulder slumped, "H-hai, we're lost."

Feeling worried for her guide's confidence, Richelieu looked around to see if there is something they could use as a hint to their current location in the dormitory. That was when she noted one of the doors was slightly open. It appeared to be the room of someone named Yura.

"Perhaps we could ask for directions? The door over there seemed to be open and perhaps there is someone in that room?" Richelieu asked, her fingers pointing to the slightly open door.

"Ano~?" Inazuma walked over towards the door. Reading the nameplate, she smiled as she nodded confidently. "You're right! This is perfect nanodesu!" She knocked on the door. "Excuse me Yura, but we need your help."

Four seconds of silence before there was a sudden loud thump and a "Huh?!" and groaning that follow soon after. Worried now about what had just transpired, Inazuma opened the door fully to investigate.

"Oh, so sorry Yura!" Inazuma apologized immediately after she realized exactly what had transpired on the other side of the door.

"W-wh-whaat?" Yura asked as she brushed away Inazuma's hands, "I-I'm, oh sweet mercifulness, it hurts." Hissing as she massaged the back of her head, Yura slowly got up using her desk as a support. Blinking, Yura cocked her head, "Inazuma? Oh, right. D-don't worried about it. I shouldn't have been tipping the chair."

"Still, I'm sorry," Inazuma mumbled as she helped in picking up the book Yura dropped and placed it on the wooden desk.

"Again, don't worry about it," Yura replied as she patted Inazuma's head, "just a light bruise. It'll be gone soon." Still rubbing the impact spot, Yura turned her attention towards the open door, "that was a surprise, wasn't expecting anyone to be in the light cruiser section. Say, whatcha doing here?"

"I was… hawa? Light cruiser section?!" Inazuma exclaimed in surprise, "I thought this was the heavy cruiser section leading to the battleship living quarters? Though that'll explain why your room was here." Cocking her head, she wondered in bewilderment.

"Yeah, I live here after all," Yura replied, appearing slightly offended at the question. "And why are you trying to reach the battleship quarters?"

"We got a battleship nanodesu," Inazuma replied, motioning Richelieu to come into view.

"I-I see!" Yura replied, taking a step back, in utter awe of the battleship before her. It was her first time meeting one and her breath was utterly taken away. An aura was being exerted from the battleship, a mature and gentle one. "I, uh, hey! My n-name is Yura, what's yours?"

Bowing, Richelieu replied in a calm voice, "Bonjour, je m'appelle Richelieu. I hope you are fine." The introduction, it was exactly what Yura would have expected. Calm, gentle, short, and really fancy.

"I-it's fine, just a light bruise that'll go a-away after two days!" Yura replied, stuttering still, her mind slowly adjusting to the fact she is conversing with a battleship. During her entire long, distinguished eight months of serving the Rear Admiral, she had yet to come across a battleship or a heavy cruiser for that matter or, now she thought about it, any fleet girl that didn't look like they're sixteen or under.

"That is delightful to hear," Richelieu replied, smiling as she turned towards Inazuma, "pardon me, but I overheard your conversation. Are we in the light cruiser part of the barracks?"

Pressing two fingers together, Inazuma looked down on the wooden ground, embarrassed. Mumbling, Inazuma nodded her head. If Yura's room was here, then without any doubt, they were currently in the light cruiser section of the dormitory. The light cruiser sector of the dorms was on the far right, or to be more specific, in the opposite direction of the battleship quarters.

"Sorry Richelieu, I'm not sure how we even got lost," Inazuma apologized, her right hand slowly twirling a few strands of hair.

"It's alright, we all make mistakes, don't we?" Richelieu comforted Inazuma, rubbing her hair lightly, "And since we're lost," she turned her attention to Yura while still rubbing Inazuma's head, "perhaps you can show us the way mademoiselle?"

"W-what? Me? I-I… of course!" Yura stuttered as she nodded her head. "The battleship quarters shouldn't be very far off. I-it'll take about three minutes I think."

Smiling, Richelieu bowed, "Merci, please lead us Ms. Yura."

* * *

It took them around four minutes and thirty five seconds before they reached the battleship quarters. They took about forty turns, eight staircases, two doors, and one large balcony before they arrived. It was that excessive and a large journey before the trio arrived to their destination. The cause of this epic journey is no one else but the Rear Admiral, whom had placed the battleship quarters and also the carrier quarters along with the heavy cruiser quarters ridiculously far away from the front door. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that the three quarters were also at the end of the dormitory and were placed at the maximum distance possible away from the HQ.

Panting, Yura spread her arms wide in front of the battleship quarter hallway, "We're here, finally! Welcome to the battleship section of the dorms."

Breathing hard, Inazuma lazily waved at the rooms, "Pick any one Richelieu, any of them desu."

"Picking my own room? What an honor," Richelieu thanked her as she examined each door. There's no way to see what's inside a room and most of the time, the room would be empty. Naturally, it'll be random and Richelieu would have to pick one without any intel regarding the condition of the room she picked. However, Richelieu had a feeling, a compelling force, that told her to pick a specific one.

Tracing her finger on the third door to the left, Richelieu grasped the doorknob before turning it. "I shall choose this room," she declared as she opened the door and entered the room. To her amazement, the room was not spartan-like or empty, but instead, could be considered a four-star hotel room.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Inazuma said as she looked into the room pleasing. "The Rear Admiral had prepped each one of these rooms and designed them to be very luxurious. I'm so envious nanodesu!" It was certainly luxurious considering the king-sized bed, the high-quality carpet, a large TV, an office desk prepped with many assortments along with an office chair. Those were the ones that first catch the eyes of Richelieu; there were many other things that were also luxurious.

"This is far too much," Richelieu whispered as she entered the room, examining everything, "he must be very charitable and kind." Examining a book she pulled from the bookcase, she turned to Inazuma, "pardon me, but I have to say, this is far too much. Are other rooms similar to this one?"

"Unfortunately, no," Yura sighed, "the battleship and carrier quarters are luxurious while other quarters, including the heavy cruiser quarter, are far behind in terms of luxury. But! That does not mean we live in spartan-like rooms, ours are still good...ish."

Digesting the information, Richelieu rotated the globe with her white gloves slowly. It was disturbing to her, but as she thought of it, it made some sense. Battleships and carriers are considered the key ships and the most powerfullest, so naturally they would receive such treatment. However, Richelieu still felt rather uneasy; such treatment could breed animosity and jealousy.

"Ms. Yura, that is good to hear…" Richelieu focused on Yura again, "but I feel rather embarrassed, to receive such treatment, even though I have yet to contribute to the base at all. Such a room," she spread her arms to emphasize the room, "should only belong to the girls that have proved themselves many times over. Ashamed I am."

Grasping Richelieu's right hand, Yura shook it once, firmly, "That's true, but don't fret over this small little thing! I-I'm sure you'll earn your place here in the future." She was confident in her declaration about Richelieu. A battleship would quickly prove her worth on the battlefield in the mind of Yura.

"Thank you for your comforting words, though I am still concerned," Richelieu replied, smiling, "but I will ignore it and carry on. Hopefully I will prove my station soon enough."

"Right," Yura said agreeingly, "I'm sure the Rear Admiral will be assigning you to a fleet soon."

"He will," Inazuma stated, "the Rear Admiral is always impatient in launching new fleet girls on sorties."

"Delightful to hear Inazuma, I cannot wait till I can show my worth and may I ask what is the next destination we will be heading to?" Richelieu asked, "we've already visited the docks, the cafeteria, the development center, and the deployment sector." Listing off the areas they've visited, Richelieu would have to say that they've already covered a good portion of the base. Strangely enough, there's a lack of other fleet girls, though they likely would be in the entertainment sector.

"Hmm, the recreation complex?" Yura suggested, shrugging, "that's the only one that Richelieu has yet to visit right?"

Inazuma shook her head at that, "The Rear Admiral wants to keep other girls from knowing about her as much as possible, so the HQ would be our next destination nanodesu."

"Ah, that makes sense, we got to keep her as a surprise!" Yura nodded her head as her right fist gently hit her open left palm. "But… errr, walking in broad daylight along with treading along the dorms, I have to say Inazuma, that's counterproductive?"

"Ano~ that would be true, but the Rear Admiral is a lolicon with record-breaking bad luck. There's no way anyone would believe that he got a battleship nanodesu," Inazuma replied logically. Unbeknownst to her, she had managed to damage the Rear Admiral's mentality. An invisible spear flying from her and piercing the Rear Admiral's heart.

Digesting the newly revealed information, Richelieu's opinion of the Rear Admiral plummeted slightly. Maybe the reason for the Rear Admiral's actions earlier was related him being a lolicon? It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to accuse the Rear Admiral of being socially incapable of talking to a grown woman if he was a lolicon. Nodding her head, Richelieu stored her suspicions away.

"Should we be going now?" Richelieu asked her tour guides, breaking them from exploring the small fridge near her bed.

"Huh? Oh, right Ms. Richelieu!" Yura exclaimed as she placed the can of Cola she held in her hand back into the fridge.

* * *

"This is the HQ," Yura opened the door, enjoying cool air blasting past her, "three stories tall and equipped with the best the world has to offer!" As if to prove her claim, an automated feminine voice greeted them as they entered the large building.

"Welcome to the Myou Naval Base's HQ. The current time is 14:21," the greeter monotonously greeted from a speaker placed inconspicuously to the left of them on a wall.

"Amazing," Richelieu stated in awe, "this building must have cost a lot to construct."

Inazuma cringed at the word cost out of habit. It brought back stressful memories that happened when the base had just started. Painful were those bygone days. Months of worry due to a certain Rear Admiral. It makes her want to cry.

"Ummm, yes it did," Inazuma spoke lowly, her voice stressed, "costing the equivalent of ten million U.S. Dollars to construct this building. Size is 200,000 square feet with five levels constructed in a modern streamline style found commonly in sci-fi fictions. One year of starvation was required to pay off the cost desu." Her voice wavered, her eyes watering as she pointed upwards, "the Rear Admiral's office is on the fourth floor."

Yura and Richelieu watched as Inazuma moved without them. Taking the escalator, Inazuma disappeared from their sight. It was a dead pregnant pause as the two stared at the escalator. Richelieu turned her head towards Yura, expecting a debriefing of Inazuma's actions.

Noticing Richelieu's curious look, Yura looked down towards the floor and coughed more than once before she cleared her throat. "Well, it was a dark time during the days when the construction of this building started. Those days built strong bonds that only the worst can shatter. We had to take on many challenges during those long months, but we succeeded," Yura stated as she placed her right fist on her left open palm as she smiled, "anyways, let's catch up with Inazuma. I hope she doesn't strangle the Rear Admiral." Whispering the last part, Yura charged up the escalators, leaving a slowly trailing Richelieu behind.

Four minutes had past since they began their trek to the Rear Admiral's office. It was far easier navigating through the halls versus navigating through the dorms. As they reached the fourth floor, Richelieu watched the scenery briefly through the large glass walls. It was a beautiful sight, watching the beaches and the open ocean in their full beauty.

"Ah, we're here! Huptah!" Yura exclaimed as she pulled the grand doors open, "excuse me Rear Admiral, but I bring Richelieu along!"

"A-ah, that's good to hear," Rear Admiral began as he scratched himself nervously, eyeing the glaring Inazuma on the opposite side of the desk. This was not the situation he wanted to be in, considering that there was a murderous Inazuma near him and an adult female near the doors. How can he even speak in such conditions. "H-how was it?" He managed to squeak out a single question.

"Commandant, the tour was exceptional and I could have not asked for better tour guides than Inazuma and Yura. They've answered many questions pertaining to this base and its operations, however, that, unfortunately, does not mean they've answered all. I fear that some are rather difficult and request a private meeting with the Rear Admiral to address these questions."

"R-right, o-of course!" The Rear Admiral replied as he readjusted his collar, "h-how a-bout to...morrow?"

Inazuma, whom was content with glaring at the Rear Admiral grinned. This was a perfect chance to take revenge against the Rear Admiral. While she may be kind, sometimes shy, it did not mean that she was incapable of revenge. She was also intelligent and her intellect told her this was a perfect time to ruin the Rear Admiral. Those long months of traumatic events weren't simply going to idle around without negative influences, were they?

"Rear Admiral means that this is the perfect time to ask questions and request a private meeting. His… duties are done for today nanodesu," Inazuma clapped her hands as she shooed Yura and herself away from the room.

The two grand polished doors soon closed, leaving the Rear Admiral and Richelieu alone. The Rear Admiral attempted to put up a stoic stature, but it was crumbling. His dependable secretary had trapped him inside, alone, with a woman.

"W-well… ah, Ms. Richelieu, what questions d-do you have?" the Rear Admiral stuttered as he pressed his back against his chair.

Richelieu stared at the Rear Admiral, her eyes narrowing, "I have many questions commandant, and let's begin with the fact you are a lolicon."

"Huh?"

* * *

Sorry for the long, long, _loooooonnnnng_ wait for the second chapter. I couldn't find the will to resist procrastinating. Truly a hard thing to overcome!

Anyways, to answer a question a review had: there are mainly only light cruisers and destroyers. However, the naval base lacks Agano-class light cruisers or any classes or ships that look of appropriate age.

Hope y'all liked the chapter and have a wonderful day or night!


	3. Chapter 3

"Don't 'huh' the question commandant," Richelieu glared at the Rear Admiral, her index finger aggressively poking his chest. "You are a lolicon, that is what your secretary and Yura said during the tour."

"B-bu-but they could be wrong!" the Rear Admiral defended himself, pushing himself to actually say a sentence without stuttering.

Richelieu took a few steps backwards, one of her eyebrows raised. Contemplating on his answer, Richelieu looked around the office. It was standard and certainly did not hint any creepy hobby her commandant could have. She, however, was still not convinced till the Rear Admiral shows some solid proof.

"L-look!" the Rear Admiral pulled out a large folder from one of his drawers, "h-here's proof!"

The folder he pulled out was rather large, around one pound and a half if one were to weigh it. From the outside, it was ubiquitous with nothing peaking out. All in all, it was the most common and the most stereotypical folder one would expect an office to have.

Examining the folder, Richelieu opened it up and quickly closed it as she realizes exactly what the contents were. Feeling blood rushing to her cheeks, she shoved the folder as far away from her as possible.

"H-how dare you?!" pointing a finger accusingly towards the Rear Admiral, Richelieu exclaimed in shock. It was the only natural thing for a lady such as her to react to such venereal content. A mere millimeter away was it before Richelieu pulled out her pistol she hid within her coat and shoot her commandant dead.

Blinking, the Rear Admiral stared at the folder before fully realizing exactly what he had just accomplished. He clearly didn't think it through beforehand, and the damage was now already dealt. What a brilliant man he was, complicating the situation far more than it needed to be.

"B-bl-bless my soul," the Rear Admiral whispered as he slowly grabbed the folder and placed it where it was. Patting his trusty tissue box, he closed the drawer. Looking at the background, behind Richelieu, the Rear Admiral gulped.

"Bless your soul indeed, commandant," Richelieu parroted as she sat on the guest chair. Making herself comfortable, she calmed herself. "I'll… excuse your actions commandant even if you showed me some vulgar pictures."

Shakingly raising his hand similar to that of a student, the Rear Admiral timidly stated, "I'm not a lolicon."

"I'll believe you for now," Richelieu finally replied, giving her verdict on the issue. It was best decided by her to ignore what had just transpired for other new topics to discuss.

"Thank you," the Rear Admiral whispered, resisting the urge to celebrate his continual existence.

"Now, what else is there for today commandant?" Richelieu asked simply.

"W-well," the Rear Admiral got up slowly and awkwardly and made his way to the window facing the dock, "there's a short exercise we, uh, usually run for new ships. Testing maneuverability, firepower, and to see i-if there is any problems that we need to resolve."

Nodding, Richelieu stretched her arms, "Affirmative commandant, and may I ask when will this exercise start?"

"In half an hour," the Rear Admiral paused, looking at the clock hanging above the doors, "we should be going now?"

"Now commandant? We should be going now," Richelieu replied, getting up from the seat, "lead the way commandant."

"Right," the Rear Admiral whispered as he led Richelieu to the deployment sector. They took the elevator, which was located near the Rear Admiral's office, and proceeded to walk the surprisingly short distance between the HQ and the sector.

Pressing his index finger on the biometric lock, the Rear Admiral waited not-so patiently for the door to open. It usually took three seconds to open the door, but from what his watch could tell him, it was taking far longer than mere three seconds. A minute passed before the scanner made a cheerful beep and unlocked the door.

"It usually doesn't take this long," the Rear Admiral quietly explained as he walked near the handrails. Below him were the launchpads used to deploy fleetgirls. "Uh, use the elevators. I'll… be outside." And like that, the Rear Admiral ran out of the building, leaving the unamused Richelieu.

Running out into the open, the Rear Admiral impatiently waited for Richelieu to appear with her rig. Holding onto the handrails, he eyed the exit of the deployment building. He may be nervous being around Richelieu, but that did not mean he couldn't observe her… equipment.

There were loud footsteps as many of his fleetgirls appeared alongside him. That wasn't exactly supposed to happen; they were supposed to be left in the dark in the entertainment sector. It was probably Yura gushing out the details, he thought to himself. Yura was, at times, too eager to reveal juicy information.

"Where's the battleship?" "This has to be a joke." "Lolicon Admiral finally got a woman?" "Where's mama?" Those were the most common phrases used by the small elementary girls that clustered around him. They were hurtful, especially the uncommon ones that went around. It probably didn't help that they were clustered around him, allowing him to hear just about everything they were whispering or shouting. Now he thought about it, they were also far too close to him when there are many, many open spaces.

"I'm sorry sir," Yura apologized as she appeared with Inazuma. Being one of the tallest amongst the fleetgirls, she easily made her way to his side.

The Rear Admiral leaned forward slightly, his chest pressing against the tall railing, "It's fine."

Quietness soon dawned upon the decently sized cluster of girls as a lone figure appeared. Richelieu had managed to make her way to the launch pads after figuring out where the staircase was. Apparently, the elevator was out of commission, much to her annoyance. It took her five minutes before realizing that the door was welded to the wall, preventing it from opening. Why someone had to weld the elevator door to the wall, she would have to find out later.

Stretching her arms, Richelieu rotated her two turrets. Unlike most ships, which sported three or four main turrets, Richelieu commandeered two large ones. A large arm or the bow in this case, located to her right housed the two main guns. A smaller identical copy of the bow, to her left, housed the other guns.

Smiling and waving politely at the crowd that gathered to watch her performance, Richelieu moved around the waters to familiarize herself with the rig. This was her first time wearing a rig and she did not to embarrass herself in front of her future comrades. Nodding to herself, she noted that parts of her body were covered in decently thick and aerodynamic plating.

Twenty targets popped up from below, at the edge of the port, as Richelieu finished admiring her equipment. With a single thought, the eight 380mm guns and nine 152mm guns pointed forward at the targets. The enemies were at the front of her, which was exactly what she was designed for. A counter to the famous "crossing the T."

"Please begin when ready," the loudspeakers announced as everyone watched in anticipation. They wanted to see the power of a battleship's main guns, even if everything else was lacking in excitement. This was an exercise built around testing firepower and nothing else.

Adjusting their angles, the guns opened fire at once, pillars of smoke and fire shooting outwards. The large shells arc through the air below landing on the targets or around them. Large explosions or large amounts of water being thrusted into the air were the results of the large caliber guns. It was something no one except for the Rear Admiral had seen so far in their service under the navy.

There was silence as everyone stared wide-eyed at the performance of firepower. They knew battleships were strong, but the simple act of firing the main guns blew up their imaginations. Some began to whisper amongst themselves of what they are now capable of doing. Maybe they could now participate in larger operations now that they have a battleship.

"Amazing nanodesu," Inazuma declared simply with the Rear Admiral nodding in agreement.

"Indeed amazing," the Rear Admiral replied admiringly, "we can participate in deeper waters and more dangerous operations. Inazuma, inform Richelieu that she'll be performing minor tests and practices. The results, send them to my office, I have to inform the higher ups of Richelieu and request permission for missions."

Inazuma nodded as she brought up her trusting tablet and began inputting instructions that'll be forwarded to the fairies in charge of practices. Tapping rather furiously onto the poor screen, she hit sent.

The Rear Admiral observed Richelieu for a few seconds before turning away and started walking towards his office. This was fantastic, his battleship can actually fire her main guns correctly, and thus ignoring a whole section of training that'll be filled with awkwardness and possible close-skin-contact. Shaking his fist in victory, the Rear Admiral proceeded to skip his way to his office after his form became a mere speck to the girls behind him.

* * *

"Lemme get this straight," a clean-shaved man cleared his throat, "you're telling us that you got a battleship, and not just any average battleship, but a French battleship of the name Richelieu? The leadship of her class?"

"Yes sir," the Rear Admiral replied giggly at the screen where five people were shown. It had been five minutes since the small and rather informal meeting began between fellow commanders.

"Oh hell no, that isn't possible," a bald man waved his hand dismissively, "you don't even have a heavy cruiser yet or even a light carrier for that matter. You're telling me you got a damn battleship? I thought you were a lolicon!"

Before the Rear Admiral could protest at that, a young man went to his defense somewhat, "Now, now sir, I think I can understand where the Rear Admiral is coming from. I would too find it tiring to be surrounded by lolis, I can understand the fact he wanted a more mature woman in his harem."

"I'm not a lolicon!" the Rear Admiral shouted at the screen, "alright?"

"Only lolicons would bring up such denial," the clean-shaved man stated firmly, "it's alright Rear Admiral. You can step out of the closet… we won't judge." The man proceeded to wink at the Rear Admiral, confusing him while also horrifying him.

"Everyone shut up," an elderly admiral declared calmly, "let us go back to the original subject, before some of you started to tease the Rear Admiral of his fetish."

"This Richelieu," the last of the five, a man that strangely looks like a stereotypical 'evil' doctor, finally spoke, "that you've obtained is a French battleship? That is strange, very strange," adjusting his spectacles, the doctor continued, "I must visit your base and obtain research."

The Rear Admiral nodded his head, "that is alright sir, but could we possibly get back to my request?"

"Granted," the elderly admiral declared simply, "in fact, there is a mission that is currently available for you if you want to get started on accepting these higher level missions."

"The mission is?" the Rear Admiral asked eagerly.

A small ding sound was made as to the lower right, a small email with an attachment appeared. From what the Rear Admiral could tell, the attachment was a document, a document that was probably on the subject of the mission. It is rather exciting, so much in fact that he was about to click it open if it weren't for the fact the elderly admiral was shaking his head.

"The mission is on the amassment of enemy assets in a rather strange location. Normally, this mission wouldn't warrant a level four status, but it appears that the Abyssal had assembled two Wu carriers and four standard battleships," the elderly admiral summarized the contents of the mission robotically, "it also appears that they're in the possession of a fleetgirl casket, though we're lacking intel on what type."

"Is it a rescue mission?" the Rear Admiral questioned as he tapped his finger lightly on the wooden table.

The young admiral nodded his head, "Yes, yes it is, but that isn't the prime focus of the mission. The prime focus is to destroy the enemy fleet's carriers and battleships. We're afraid that the Abyssals might be attempting an attack on the small bases around the area before launching an assault on a major naval base."

"I've got to say something about this mission," the clean-shaved admiral declared, "look Rear Admiral, don't accept the basic intel on this. I doubt that there are just merely two Wu classes and four battleships, I don't think the Abyssal are that stupid to think that force is enough to take down those small naval bases. To let you know, these small ones have heavy cruisers, one even has a battleship under their command. That fleet might do some damage on the first few ones, but clearing the entire area? Heck no, bring more than a standard sized sortie fleet I tell ya."

"Will do sir," the Rear Admiral replied reassuringly, "I'll take your suggestion to heart."

With that, the five figures started disappearing from the screens. Each of them had stated what was needed and had to attend to other businesses that required more attention.

Opening the document that the elderly admiral had forwarded, the Rear Admiral began reading. From the summary and the suggestion, the Rear Admiral inferred that this won't simply be a two-day prep and sortie. Estimating at least a week if not more due to the addition of a fleetgirl that isn't in sync with everyone else, he'll have to begin quickly.

This naval base that had enjoyed quietness for months on end was about to embark on its first major operation since… well never actually.

* * *

A/N: Ah, sorry for the long wait! Homework and life in general dragged things out and I couldn't find the time nor energy to finish this chapter. It doesn't help that I've been playing WoWS a little too much. Thanks for waiting patiently and I'll try to get Chapter IV out before the end of this year.


	4. Chapter 4

Richelieu rolled her shoulders as she stepped onto solid ground after finishing the tests. They were relatively easy, in her eyes at least. Though, she had to admit, they were tiring. It didn't help that the tests required her to put her maneuverability to the test, something that battleships aren't usually renowned for being.

Reaching towards the top using the staircase, she opened the door and took some steps forward tentatively. She had heard the chanting and the praising the young destroyers and even light cruisers were giving. They were, to say the least, warm and very enthusiastic about calling her mom, mama, or mother.

Some things that surprised her were some of girls and their age. Due to the information given by Yura, she had suspected that many of the girls in the naval base were under the age of 13 years old. On the contrary, however, at least a third of them were thirteen years of age or older. The term lolicon wouldn't exactly fill the bill there, would it? Though, if she would to state a conclusion, it would be that pedophilia was fused with the word lolicon in this case.

"There she is!" a destroyer shouted or, more correctly to put, screamed as she frantically pointed at Richelieu. Then proceeding that was a swarm of destroyers rushing her and surrounding her. Some even went as far as hugging her, _hugging_ her. Smiling uncomfortably, she began patting the heads of the girls around her.

Silencing out the destroyers, Richelieu noted that there were a couple of girls not far from her but weren't in the swarm. If she were to assign classes to them, they would most likely be light cruisers. Although some of them could also be destroyers if she differentiated the age, development, and height. For an example, one of the girls, a blond girl with green eyes was smaller than Yura and thus, smaller than the girls she was sure were light cruisers.

"P-pet me?" a nervous voice broke Richelieu from her examination. Glancing down, she smiled warmly and began petting the head of the destroyer. This action caused the others to swoon and cluster around her even tighter. It appeared to her, rather immediately at that point, that her presence must had ignited something within them.

If the Rear Admiral, who she really had to find what his name was, was the only elderly presence in this naval base, then that means they've only been influenced by a 'fatherly' presence. If there wasn't a girl that was not of heavy cruiser, carrier, or battleship designation, then it means they wouldn't be comforted by a mature girl or woman for that matter. Thus, if she were to put the end of her analysis, her presence was both unique and model-worthy.

After what felt like thirty minutes, the girls started to move away from her after seemingly gotten their fill of a motherly presence. Or the fact that Inazuma seemed to convey a message to the surrounding light cruisers to move in and interact with her all the while herding the destroyers away. And slowly and slowly did that appear the case as the light cruisers shepherded the disorganized swarm towards the entertainment sector all the while sparing glances at her.

"I'm sorry desu!" Inazuma bowed, apologizing for the destroyer storm. "It must have been uncomfortable."

"Please," Richelieu rubbed Inazuma's head, "it's alright. I found it rather enjoyable."

Yura closed in on the distance, after making sure there wasn't any destroyer still lurking around side from Inazuma. Smiling brightly, she began, "that was amazing! You were handling those destroyers wonderfully."

"They were curious," Richelieu replied affirmatively, "it would be natural they would be meeting a battleship. I assumed this was their first time observing the display of a battleship. That would be correct, would it be?"

"You're correct," Yura replied nodding her head, "every single one of us is either a destroyer or a light cruiser. We've yet to get anything above light cruiser, until yours that is. This is an omen that good things will come in the future, ya know?"

"Merci," Richelieu thanked Yura for her compliment before glancing at the headquarters, "I noted that the older girls were leading the destroyers away. I've also noted that Inazuma conversed with you about something. I assume that the subject is of great importance and pertains to me?"

"Yep!" Yura gave her the thumbs up before patting Inazuma on the head, "and the secretary will explain that."

Inazuma opening her eyes slowly as the warmth of Richelieu's patting dissipated. It seemed she was in a daze before realizing that Yura put her in the spotlight. Straightening herself as quick as possible, Inazuma began, "U-uhhhh, oh right! The Rear Admiral wishes to meet with you as soon as possible, something about a sortie nanodesu."

That perked Richelieu's interest greatly. While the display had eased her previous concerns about aiding the base, the fact she has yet to prove herself fully was sticking out sorely. Though she had to be fair, it had only been a few hours.

"Come this way," Yura motioned for Inazuma and Richelieu to follow her. "I'm sure that you're excited about the sortie right?"

"I am," Richelieu replied truthfully. And thus, they walked towards the naval base.

* * *

Along the way, Richelieu noted that she has yet to know the Rear Admiral's name. While it is unnecessary, she must truly know. After all, it would be more impolite than simply knowing the commandant as the Rear Admiral. If a future meeting with another base was to arise, it would be most important for her to be able to refer the commandant more properly.

Observing the chalk drawn figures on the ground as she walked by them, she raised her question, "May I know what is the commandant's name?"

There was silence, no response from the either two. They glanced act each other, sending some telepathic messages to another. Richelieu noted Inazuma's head shaking and Yura's smile.

"We can't," Inazuma stated softly, "the Rear Admiral forbids us to reveal his name. I'm afraid you have to ask him directly desu."

Richelieu turned towards Yura expecting a revelation. Instead, she got the same message from Yura, although she did note the weak response given by Yura. If she pressed, no, she wouldn't. The commandant forbid the two and she would rather not get them in trouble. Even if the punishment they would receive would mostly be light.

As the trio walked into the HQ, Yura directed them towards a meeting room. Passing by a directly sign, Richelieu noted that there were several meeting rooms. By several, it appears that there were a grand total of ten meeting rooms. That seemed a lot for a base like this one, but she returned her attention to the event at hand.

Inazuma and Yura grabbed a handle opposite of one another and pulled them outwards, revealing a luxurious meeting room. Richelieu walked in and calmly took a seat on the seat designated for her. Suppressing the urge to sigh at the feeling of sitting down on a luxurious comfortable chair, she waited for Inazuma and Yura to take seat.

As the two did so, Richelieu took a single glance towards the Rear Admiral, whom was sitting on the far end away from her. It surprised her very little to see the commandant glancing down towards the table versus paying attention to Inazuma, Yura, or herself.

Ten minutes passed with no sign of any beginning. Ten minutes. Ten whole straight minutes. There was nothing as everyone waited for the Rear Admiral to begin. But there was no sign of him even bothering to begin.

"Ano, Rear Admiral?" Inazuma tentatively began, trying to break the ice, "the meeting? Richelieu's sortie?"

"Hmmm, ah, ohhh," the Rear Admiral drawled awkwardly before scratching the back of his head. "Right! S-so, Richelieu. The… meeting is to inform you of y-your first sortie. Starting, uhh, wait a second, oh right. Tomorrow! Early tomorrow at 0700."

"Escorts commandant?" Richelieu replied curiously. If her sortie was that abrupt and early, she would like to milk her time was efficiently as possible. Meet her escorts and figure a plan out. It wouldn't do for her to be the reason why the young destroyers get seriously injured.

The Rear Admiral bit his lips act that before coughing and replied, "Inazuma, Ikazuchi, Kinu, Akebono, and Asashio, o-or class-wise, four destroyers and one l-light cruiser."

"Huh?" Inazuma cocked her head act that, "Rear Admiral? I'm going on a sortie desu?" That was something she had obviously not expected. It was something the Rear Admiral didn't even inform her about.

"Yes," the Rear Admiral's awkwardness started to dissipate slowly as he focused on Inazuma more than Richelieu, "I find that having a familiar face would aid R-Richelieu."

"That is helpful commandant," Richelieu interjected into the conversation agreeingly, "teamwork could be smoother. But may I ask why Yura isn't also part of the sortie? Following the logic?"

Yura, the subject, scratched her head before replying for the Rear Admiral, "paperwork. There's been a stacking of papers. As much as I believe the Rear Admiral can take those on, we both believe it is best for two to work on it."

Richelieu seemed to take that with acceptance. It seemed there wasn't anything else to discuss, but then she remembered something. Smiling lightly, she turned towards the commandant, "Excuse me commandant, but I have a question to ask. What is your name? It would it be fitting for the subordinate to know her commandant's name, wouldn't it?"

"C-can we divert from that?" the Rear Admiral asked as a tint of red appeared on his cheeks. The response he got from Richelieu was a shake of her head. That prompted him to sigh before answering truthfully, "Mizushima K-ka-tsumi."

"Mizushima Katsumi? If I'm correct, then your first name would be Katsumi. I'm sorry, is there anything wrong with the name?" Richelieu questioned curiously, confused on why the commandant was embarrassed.

"The name is feminine in sounding," Admiral Katsumi explained as he covered his face with his hands, "in fact, it is more commonly used for girls versus boys."

"I… see," Richelieu replied, nodding her head politely, "that is understandable. I apologize for causing you this embarrassment. Shall we move onto meeting my escorts for tomorrow's sortie?"

Katsumi, the Rear Admiral now finally named, gave Inazuma a look. It was a code, a code that Inazuma should jump into the conversation. Though, unlike what Richelieu would usually see, it was a confident nod.

"Um, Richelieu, please follow me," Inazuma started as she slowly got up, "our fleet should be ready and together at one of the other meeting rooms. Please follow me nanodesu!"

"Of course, please lead the way," smiling, Richelieu got up with an extra amount of excitement that contrasted her usual refined look. They both left, leaving Yura and Katsumi alone in the meeting room.

Katsumi coughed violently as he adjusted his collar, taking in large amounts of air. Yura watched this event happen with alarm before settling to a relieved look as Katsumi stopped doing whatever he was doing.

"Now, let's get down to business," Katsumi began as he pulled out a folder that was sandwiched between him and the seat.

"Right!" Yura happily replied, not bothered at all that her admiral was sitting on the folder.

* * *

It had been a two minutes since the pair had left the meeting room. Both of them were walking at rapid pace towards their destination. They passed each set of doors, all of which looked similar, before stopping at the end of the hallway. It was the last meeting room, very far away from where they've left.

Panting, Inazuma grabbed the handles and pulled, "T-they should be here desu." The doors slowly swung open, revealing what would accurately be described as a mess.

There, Kinu was trying to pull apart Akebono and Asashio with Ikazuchi being absolutely no help whatsoever. It was a tangled mess and that confused Inazuma. Then, Inazuma remembered something about the two: Asashio and Akebono had always been at odds with each other. If she remembers this correctly, Akebono calls Admiral Katsumi mean names which Asashio dislikes and tends to berate Akebono or her actions.

"Stop! Come on! The Rear Admiral's gonna kill me if either one of you die before Richelieu gets here!" Kinu, who usually had sharp spiky red hair, shouted as she ruffled her own hair due to the stress she faced. To note, Kinu was, usually, a positive girl similar to Yura. To also note, Kinu had a crush on Admiral Katsumi. To fail the admiral, Kinu would be stressed and very _very_ sad.

"Don't you dare call the admiral t-that s-word again!" Asashio screeched, similar to a cat, towards Akebono. "I'll… I'll feed you to the fairies!"

Richelieu raised her eyebrows as she heard that threat. Even Inazuma raised her eyebrows. That was something neither expected.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do?" Akebono responded, shaking her right fist. "I'm going to call the admiral what I want and you won't lift a single finger against me! Watch. Shi-" Before she could finish her sentence, before Asashio was about to propel herself towards Akebono at mach speeds, Richelieu covered Akebono's mouth all the while stopping Asashio in her tracks.

"Mmmmphphphphphp?!" Akebono began to resist against Richelieu's hold on her mouth, which she tried to no avail. It seemed that the battleship's slender arms weren't as weak as they looked. Later, Kinu would exaggerate it was like a tank stopping a small golf cart from moving, which wasn't an exaggeration at all.

"Now now children," Richelieu began as she made sure the two weren't going to punch the other, "it isn't good to be fighting when we are to work as a team. And," she focused on Akebono, "ladies do not say such vulgar words to others, especially other ladies. It is rude and impolite, alright? And let's apologize to one-another and focus on the matters at hand."

"B-bu-," Akebono shut her mouth as she watched Richelieu stare her down, "y-yes ma'am! Sorry Asashio."

Kinu, at that, clasped her mouth in surprise; she just saw Akebono got shut down. No one could do that and definitely no one could get her to be so obedient in such speeds. Not even Admiral Katsumi is able to do such a task.

Having seen Akebono get shut down and with that cheerful yet deadly stare, Asashio was already apologizing, "I'm sorry!"

Feeling proud of diffusing the situation, Richelieu released both of them and bowed at Kinu, Akebono, and Asashio, "now that we have fixed the confrontation, let's sit down and relax and introduce ourselves. If you could Inazuma, please introduce them."

"Hawa?! Umm, ok!" Inazuma began as she refocused in on reality after sitting down and being put into the spotlight once more, "uhh, that's Kinu," she pointed at the red-haired girl who was sitting in front of her, "she's the sistership of Yura. She's friendly and, ummm, eccentric nanodesu." Kinu responded to that both smiling while being annoyed at the latter comment on her.

Focusing on the next girl, the one who was dressed nicely, "that's Asashio. She's a hardworker and helpful. And," Inazuma introduced the last member, "and that's Akebono. She's… ummm, desu… helpful and brave."

"What's with that uncertainty?" Akebono began, "why! I'm ni-, I'm sorry!" Richelieu had smiled at her the minute she protested, instantly pacifying her.

"Thank you Inazuma for introducing them and allow me to introduce myself," placing a hand on her chest and bowing lightly while sitting, Richelieu began, "I am Richelieu and I am delighted to be working with you five in the upcoming sortie. I am the nameship of my class and I do hope to have a good time tomorrow fighting against the Abyssal with all of you."

And with that, the small collection of shipgirls began to discuss about the plans for tomorrow's sortie, Richelieu's first sortie at that. Though, it did take a while for all the girls to add in their own opinion on what to do and how to properly act as a team to avoid any complications.

* * *

That's the end of this chapter! To clarify things, shipgirls will refer Admiral Katsumi as the Rear Admiral. Richelieu, differently.

Now, to answer one of the reviews I found interesting or mazinkaiser's review:

I have to agree with calling the Rear Admiral, the Rear Admiral, would get annoying and stale, which is why I named him this chapter. And yep, not all destroyers are lolis, but hey!

There will be world-building and sneak peaks into the past.

Now, to 'end' this chapter:

Merry Christmas! Or Happy Holidays! Or Good Day!


End file.
